Toronto honours Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with key to the city

On Thursday, Mayor Olivia Chow awarded the Key to the City to award-winning Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, the creative mind behind acclaimed films such as Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, and Pinocchio.

The ceremony, held jointly with Cinespace Studios, unveiled the remaining sound stages of the Marine Terminal campus as the "Guillermo del Toro Stages," in recognition of the director's long-standing relationship with Toronto and the film community.

The three-time Oscar-winning director has filmed multiple of his acclaimed projects at Cinespace Studios in Toronto, including The Shape of Water, Nightmare Alley, Cabinet of Curiosities, and the upcoming Frankenstein.

"Del Toro's ongoing creative presence in Toronto has contributed significantly to the growth and global recognition of the city’s screen industry," a city press release reads.

"By consistently choosing Toronto as a base for major projects, he has reaffirmed Toronto’s place as a top-tier production hub. His work has featured iconic Toronto landmarks, supported Canadian talent and created hundreds of jobs for local crew and craftspeople. Del Toro's continued investment in the city helps build lasting infrastructure and creative capacity."

Toronto's Mayor awards the Key to the City to "inspiring individuals from diverse backgrounds" who "embody the spirit and potential of Toronto," and who have also contributed significantly to civic life — it is the highest honour granted by the Mayor to an individual or a group.

Del Toro, who lives in Toronto part-time, has called the city his second home.

"To have my name associated with these glorious stages where my beloved crew and colleagues share both work and memories is an immense honour. I am deeply grateful to Cinespace Studios for this recognition, and to the Toronto film community for its unwavering support throughout decades of my career," he said.

"Guillermo del Toro is a once-in-a-generation storyteller, director and filmmaker," Mayor Olivia Chow added.

"From The Shape of Water to Nightmare Alley to the highly anticipated Frankenstein, he has consistently chosen to produce his award-winning movies in Toronto, supporting our city's $2.6 billion film industry which employs more than 40,000 people. Today, we celebrate his contributions to Toronto and his films which have touched viewers from around the world."

Del Toro's next film, Frankenstein, is slated to release on Netflix in November 2025.